Russia's ambassador to Syria, Alexander Yafimov, today (Thursday) sharply criticized Israel's airstrikes in Syria, claiming that these were undermining the Kremlin's and Assad's joint efforts to stabilize the country.
Yafimov's claim, which he said in an interview with the Tass news agency, allegedly contradicts previous Israeli statements on security coordination and cooperation between Jerusalem and Moscow regarding Syria.
It will be recalled that after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, it was reported that Israeli freedom of action had been agreed upon in Syria.
Assault in Syria, Archive,
Asked how he would assess the current level of terrorist threat in Syria and how high the risk of militants flowing into the country, Yafimov replied that "it is too early to say that terrorism in Syria has been completely defeated, and this problem is not limited to the Idlib terrorist stronghold. Islamic State (ISIS). Thanks to the joint efforts of the Russian Air and Space Forces and the Syrian army, ISIS's organized military potential has been eliminated, but branches of the organization continue to operate from the Damascus-controlled desert territories in the east of the country. Of the city, which killed 14 people last month. "
He added: "In other words, the terrorist threat in Syria remains real, and it is too early to rest on our laurels. The Syrian side is making every effort to prevent and fight terrorism. However, the Syrian government will be able to act more effectively only by regaining control of the entire national territory. The state. "
The ambassador was also asked how the Russian side now assesses the situation in Idlib and the northeast of the country, and whether a new influx of refugees from these areas is not expected.
In response, he said: "There is every reason to believe that the residents of Idlib itself are tired of the conditions they found themselves in, locked in an enclave under the yoke of illegal armed groups, who regularly try to share power and money. I am sure many Syrians would be happy to move They have no such opportunity. "
As far as Israel is concerned, the ambassador, and not for the first time, blamed the alleged Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, claiming that they harm the restoration of the country and support terrorism.
Yafimov claimed that "often the targets of the frequent Israeli attacks occur even in the suburbs of Damascus. There have been cases where explosions thundered even in the center of the capital. The Israeli attacks pose a direct threat to civilian air traffic in Syrian skies."
Bennett and Putin at their meeting in Sochi, Russia, Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO
Meanwhile, Yafimov referred to the close ties between Moscow and Damascus, saying that contacts and meetings between Russian-Syrian elements at various levels take place regularly, both in Moscow and in Damascus. Special importance is attached in both countries to the talks and the close relationship between President Putin and Bashar al-Assad. He further claimed that Russia had offered the West to take part in the reconstruction of the Syrian infrastructure and economy, but the dialogue on this issue did not take place for a long time because of the US position. The Russian attempts were not answered.
"With our help they are getting along, but in general it is very difficult for them to live now. The collapse of the national currency, a sharp decline in people's welfare, unemployment, shortages and a steady rise in many commodity prices (including basic food and medicine), fuel and electricity disruptions - this is the Syrian reality today. "In a relatively peaceful life for the Syrians than it was three years ago, when Damascus regularly underwent missile attacks," he concluded.